WisdomTree (NasdaqGM: WETF) expanded its already solid lineup of currency hedged ETFs Thursday with the introduction of the WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Fund (NasdaqGS: DXGE).
DXGE, which offers exposure to the Eurozone’s largest economy, tracks the WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Index (WTGEH) and charges 0.48% per year. The index consists of German dividend payers that get less than 80% of their revenue from their home nation. [WisdomTree to Introduce Germany ETF]
“Germany is one of the engines of European growth and has proven its resilience amid the European crisis. With the Eurozone exiting recession in the second quarter of this year, and developed market growth charting an upward trajectory, we believe Germany’s export-based economy is well positioned to benefit from a broader recovery,” said Jeremy Schwartz, WisdomTree Director of Research, in a statement.
DXGE will compete with the db X-trackers MSCI Germany Hedged Equity Fund (NYSEArca: DBGR), which has been around for roughly two years.
“We believe DXGE provides investors with a unique way to capitalize on the growth potential of German exporters while hedging exposure to an often volatile and unpredictable currency –the euro,” Schwartz said. “Due to Germany’s historical tendency to display negative correlations between its equities and the euro, and a recent decline in those correlations, DXGE offers investors a way to take preemptive action by isolating their German equity exposure,” Schwartz added.
Top holdings in the WisdomTree Germany Hedged Equity Index include Deutsche Telekom, Daimler, BMW, Allianz and BASF.
Four sectors – automakers and parts suppliers, capital goods, materials and insurance companies – receive double digit weights in the index. The index has a dividend yield of 3.43% and a P/E ratio of almost 17.1, according to WisdomTree data.
DXGE is the fifth currency hedged ETF from WisdomTree and the third introduced by the firm this year. With $10.9 billion in assets under management, the WisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund (NYSEArca: DXJ) is the largest of those five ETFs. DXJ is also the top asset-gathering ETF this year.
DXGE Sector Breakdown
ETF Trends editorial team contributed to this post. Tom Lydon’s clients own shares of DXJ.